Method of conserving victuals in closed containers



Aug. 25, 1936. H. zoELLY l2,052,270

METHOD o1? coNsERvING vIcTUALsIN cLosED CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 5, 1953Patented Aug. 25, 1936 PATENT OFFICE Y '2,052,270 METHOD or coNsEnviNc.vlc'rUALs IN CLOSED CONTAINERS Heinrich Zoelly, Zurich, SwitzerlandApplication December 5, 1933, SerialNo. 701,036

In Germany December 9, 1032 2 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of conserving victuals in closedcontainers.

The most usual methods of conserving victuals consist in sterilizing andpasteurizing as well as 5 storing the same in cool rooms. During thepasteurizing process the victuals are heated to a temperature of atleast 60 C., whereas during sterilizing the temperature is raised to atleast 100 C.

In both cases the texture of the victuals, particu- ]0 larly in regardto the natural aspect, the taste, the aroma or the like is changed whichis very often extremely undesirable, as the marketability of thevictuals at a good price is'thus considerably lessened. If, on the otherhand, the victuals are simply stored in a cool room, it frequentlyhappens that they deteriorate already in these rooms or elsedeterioration sets in a very short time after the victuals are broughtback to normal atmospheric conditions. Storing the victua'ls for alonger time in a vacuum of but small intensity and approximatelyordinary room temperature is also inhibitive, as under such conditionsthe microbes are very often still active.

Therefore, the known methods of conserving victuals are particularlydisadvantageous for conserving victuals of especially delicate nature,such as iine sorts of ilsh, vegetables and fruit which must besafeguarded against losing their taste, changing the aroma or rotting.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of conservingvictuals and a container for carrying out the method by means of whichprovisions the disadvantages of the hitherto known conserving methodsare eliminated. T0 this end, at rst the air lis removed by suctionaction as completely as possible from the containers filled with thevictuals at a temperature below 15 C. up to at least 0.02 atmosphere i.e. 14.7 millimeters mercury. On the application of 4o such an intensevacuum substantially no air is left in the container, only steam beingstill present therein, as for example at a vacuum of 98.26% and atemperature of 15C.

the partial pressure of steam=0.0174 atm. and the partial pressure otair =0.0000 atm.

ensues. The evacuated containers are then removed to a cool room wherethe vacuum set up in the containers outside this room is stillintensied, due to condensation of steam.

Since during carrying out the novel method allA air is expelled from theinterior of the containers, the presence of moisture entrapped in thecontainers, which is essential for preserving the taste and the naturalvaspect of the victuals, has no rotting or moulding effect or the like onthe 10 same.

In the accompanying drawing a constructional form of a container forcarrying the method according to the invention into eiect is illustratedin a longitudinal axial section and by way of l5 example only. y

' By I the body of the container is designated and 2 refers to aremovable cover thereof. 'Ihe cover is joined with the container l in anairtight manner. On the cover 2 is arranged a small i pipe 3communicating with one of its ends with the interior of the containerand consisting of a material which is adapted to be melted or welded.The other end of this pipe can be connected with a suitable device forwithdrawing. air by suction action. The tube 3 is closed in an air tightmanner adjacent to its free end il by melting or welding every timeafter a vacuum is produced in the interior of the container i.

The pipe 3 may be closed in still other manner, 30 for example by meansof a special cock, a valve or the like. The container i, 2 may consistof vsheet metal, cast material, glass and so forth. In choosing thedimensions of the container, the strength of the structural material isdecisive in 35 the first place with a view to avoiding the danger ofbuckling under `an intense vacuum. It is advisable to make thecontainers of moderate size so as to avoid considerable weightiness inconsequence of excessive wall thicknesses neces- ,lo sitated for reasonsof strength. On the other hand the size of the containers depends on thepurpose for which. they are used. Depending on requirements, thecontainers can be stacked up in horizontal or vertical disposition.

The special shape ofthe container is immaterial for the purpose of theinvention as long as it is suitable for the formation of an intensevacuum in the container. It is obvious that shapesother than thatillustrated in the drawing may be 50 chosen.

I claim: v

1. A process for preserving foodstuffs, consisting in fillingthefoodstuffs to be preserved into a vessel at a room temperature ofapproximately 55 15 C., creating in said vessel an atmosphere of solelysaturated water vapor by producing a vacuum at which the pressure of thewater vapor present corresponds to the total pressure in the vessel atsaid room temperature, further in sealing the vessel, from which the airhas thus been extracted, in an air tight manner, and storing said vesselat a temperature of approximately 0 C.

y 2. A process for preserving foodstuffs, consisting in filling at aroom temperature of approximately 15 C. the foodstuffs to be preservedinto lling until the foodstuffs have to be consumed,

creating in said vessels an atmosphere of solely saturated water vaporby producing a vacuum at which the pressure of the water vapor present.corresponds to the total pressure in the vessel at said roomtemperature, further in sealing the vessel, from which the air has thusbeen extracted, in an air-tight manner, and storing said 10

